Heaven Sent
by monochromed
Summary: Meet Tomoyo, the antithesis of what an angel should be: a cynic, blackmailer and an all around mischief maker. Will Eriol be able to help her get back to Paradise or will fate interfere the second time around? CHAPTER 3 UP!
1. You're a what?

**Author's blabbering**: Okay, so this is another plot bunny, rampaging inside my head for some weeks now. I know I haven't updated The Testament yet. I'm still waiting for Dana-san to finish her school work before I give her the 18th chapter so I can't blame her. Anyway, I couldn't get enough reviews in Fiction Press dot Com (this was posted there as well under the pseudonym Maia Sinclair, my account) so I decided to post it here in Fanfiction dot Net. So if you're wondering why there are names here which are not part of the CCS, well…

Just give me what you think. And I know this is another one of my stories I would need updating but please, PLEASE, bear with me. It's difficult having a plot bunny rampaging inside you head, with no way of destroying it except to write and update. I'm terribly sorry…

**Disclaimer**: I don't own CCS. Period. Case Closed.

**Heaven Sent**

**Chapter 1: "You're a what?" **

The sky was inky blue, deep and mysterious as if holding a secret, dotted with twinkling stars, like that of diamonds scattered on dark, dark velvet. Lady Moon, full and pale, cast her silvery, effervescent cloak on the sleepy town of Tomoeda, outshining even the brightest of the midnight jewels. Truly she is the Queen of the Night, with her silver halo and velvet cloak.

But no one could admire her splendor that evening for everyone was slumbering peacefully under thick and warm comforters, transported to their own dreamlands. It was already midnight, such a cool and wonderful evening, that everyone had retired for the night. Even the young master of the sixteenth-century manor on the outskirts of the town was unusually asleep, obviously unaware of what would happen to him that night.

Seventeen-year-old Hiiragizawa Eriol shot up awake on his bed when a loud thump startled him out of his sleep. The noise was so loud he wasn't anymore surprised if a few members of his household had awoken as well. He stared grumpily at the dark blue drapes of his glass sliding door leading to the balcony, still wearing a sleepy expression. The sound definitely came from outside, as if something heavy had fallen from above and hit the marble. The sound, however, was muffled that he deduced it was something soft. A human being or rather large animal maybe, judging how loud the sound was.

Of course, it was impossible. For one, he was on the second floor. There was no way something could've fallen from up above. The guest rooms on the third floor were completely deserted and there was no way it could just be a cat.

He slowly got out of his bed and slipped on a silk robe to check it out, absently grabbing his cell phone and Swiss knife from under his pillows in case it was a burglar or serial murderer. Not that he'd been hearing news about a burglar or serial killer wandering around the streets of Tomoeda. Carefully, he parted the drapes slightly and peered out.

The entire balcony was bathed in white moonlight, reflecting off the pale marble. Beyond the balustrade though, it was unusually dark, as if there was a foreboding barrier between his balcony and what's beyond it. And the light was also unusual, brighter as if a spotlight was placed directly above him. Still, everything looked normal, nothing out of the ordinary…

Well, except for that figure dressed in long white robes, standing in the middle of the balcony, under the moonlight.

Eriol blinked then rubbed his blue eyes, erasing every bit of sleep in it. He must be hallucinating, seeing a figure outside his glass doors, decked in all white, in the middle of the night. The girl—he knew it had to be one, judging from her remarkable dark hair cascading down her back, a contrast to the bright surroundings, and her lean figure—would've passed his normalcy test…

If it wasn't for those large, immaculate white wings protruding out of her back.

He immediately convinced himself that he was dreaming, that this was just part of a bizarre dream he'd been having for the past few nights. First, it was something medieval, complete with castles and princesses and knights. Then it was this. He really had to refrain Nakuru, his cousin, from watching too much fantasy films.

But then, it was impossible for it to be a dream since he could still feel the pain of the cut on his leg thanks to soccer practice. And everything seemed too real to be a dream.

His gaze rose once more to the girl who was now kneeling on the marble, her eyes closed solemnly as if in prayer, her robes and hair pooling around her. But her reverie was suddenly shattered when he opened his glass door and stepped outside. She turned around to look at him and Eriol stared at her, a frown etched on his face. That's when he noticed the uncanny color of her eyes: lavender.

"What the heck are you?" he finally blurted out, finally finding a voice after all the weird things being thrown at him at the very moment. "And what the heck are you doing on my balcony in the middle of the night?"

She seemed to have snapped out of her trance and bowed respectfully to him. "I-I'm sorry." Her voice was soft and reminded him of bells. Small, glass bells. "I promise I'll leave at once. I won't take long."

Her lilac eyes were pleading anxiously, almost desperate, that he just shrugged and watched her, curiosity and amusement dancing in his eyes. While kneeling, she bowed her head reverently and clasped her hands together, eyes closed once more. Then, all of a sudden, a pillar of light sliced through the dark surroundings and enveloped her in warm light.

Eriol stepped back in alarm, nearly stumbling and crashing into the glass door. He pinched himself absently, wondering if this was all just a practical joke from someone he knew. Or if he was witnessing an alien transport beam.

He shaded his eyes from the bright light and caught a glimpse of her slowly floating to the source of light, her wings slowly unfolding like that of a swan's. Then, just as sudden as it had come, the pillar of light disappeared, leaving a trail of tiny pale lights, continuously rising to the dark sky. As for the girl, she fell from three feet in the air and came in the contact with the marble floor painfully for the second time that evening.

"Are you all right?" he asked, peering at her curiously.

"I don't understand," she mumbled, shaking her magnificent head, ignoring his inquiry. "Why didn't it work? Why wasn't I able to return?"

That's when he saw her wings, half of it damaged and crushed as if someone had sat over it, several feathers sticking up in different angles. White feathers fell noiselessly on the floor, unheard by any of them. "It's probably because of your wings."

She had finally acknowledged the presence of his voice and looked her shoulder, her face contorting to something like annoyance and exasperation from its previous calm expression. "Great! This is great! A damaged wing!" She let out a frustrated sigh, looking over at the other wing. "Make that two damaged wings!"

He knew it must've been from her first fall that her wings got crushed, or else she would've flown already. He took a step towards her. "Are you all right?" he asked again, his voice faintly laced with concern.

"Yes, I'm quite fine," she replied with a smile then bowed to him, her hands clasp in front of her. "Thank you very much for not forcing me to leave to earlier. I deeply apologize if I had disturbed you from your sleep and—"

"It's nothing. I'm awake already anyway."

Her polite smile dissolved, turning into a forced, irritated one. "As I promised, I'm leaving you now and I won't be back again." She walked over and sat on the balustrade, swinging her legs over the marble railings. "Well, bye now, Eriol!"

She was about to jump over when he suddenly call her back, jolting her reverie, nearly sending her plummeting down to the ground.

"Wait just a sec!"

She held tightly on the marble, praying wholeheartedly that she would not fall, considering half her body was already hanging in midair and she was clutching the balustrade with all her effort so as not to fall.

"What is it now?" she asked hurriedly, trying to pull herself up.

Eriol didn't seem to realize that she was close to falling as he didn't make a move to help her out. A nerve ticked in her head. "Before you go, tell me what kind of a creature are you."

Her eye twitched in irritation but she immediately dismissed it. Her kind should not harbor any ill feelings towards others. Still, in her near-death position, it was hard not to. "Isn't it obvious already?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"So you mean you're…" he asked once more.

"Yes, I am," she replied curtly. "Now can I get some help around here?"

The young man didn't move from his position, just stared at her as she clumsily tried to heave herself onto the balustrade. "Are you really an angel?" he asked suspiciously, a dark eyebrow raised. " Angels aren't supposed to snap or retort or look angry."

"Yes, we can snap and retort _and_ look angry," she retorted irritably. "Sorry to burst your bubble."

"Aren't you an alien or something?" he asked in disbelief, earning a sharp glare from the said angel.

The girl rolled her lavender eyes at him, annoyed by his comment. "Do I even look like one?" she countered sarcastically. "And do those beings even exist?"

"Well, no… I don't know," he answered with a shrug as she continuously tried to pull herself up. "And if you're an angel, shouldn't you be up there? In the sky? Don't you have magic powers or anything?" He then narrowed his eyes at her. "Besides, how do I even know you're an angel? For all I know, you could just be a burglar with your elaborate props."

She sighed knowingly. "Another non-believer, eh? Well, that's too bad then," she said with a heavy sigh. "I'm not a burglar. If I was, I should've killed you already. And we angels haven't got magic. The only power we've got is the power to heal and transform so we could blend in with humans." She eyed him. "And we live in Azreal, not heaven."

"Aren't you a smart-alecky one?" he countered.

"Why, thank you, I always try," she shot back dryly. "Now can I get any help here?"

Eriol folded his arms across his chest, a scowl replacing his suspicious expression. "This has to be a dream," he muttered to himself then stared at the struggling creature. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave this ridiculous dream and go back to my own world!" With that, he went back inside his room, slamming the sliding door, the glass shaking slightly in its jamb.

"Oi, wait a minute!" she wailed loudly, loud enough to wake the whole household. "Are you just going to leave a helpless angel here?" He ignored her, wrenching the drapes back in their places. "Did you know angels can get easily sick on Earth?"

"Good luck then!" he called back, removing his robes and slipping under his comforter.

"Fine then! When I get back to Azreal, I'll tell the Keeper of the Keys what a cruel person you are, leaving me like this, and ask him to erase your name on the Book of Life! That way, you'll rot in hell for eternity!"

To her surprise, the door slid open again and revealed a grouchy-looking Eriol, glaring at her. She pasted her sweetest, most innocent smile at him. Wordlessly, he went over to her and pulled her up the balustrade and into the balcony. She heaved a relieved sigh, collapsing on her legs.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed, sounding alleviated.

"Blackmailing shouldn't be a habit of an angel," he remarked dryly, still looking at her.

She brushed her pale robes, rising to her full height. "What do you know anyway on being an angel?" she replied, not looking at him as she was busy cleaning her robes. "For all I know you're not one."

Eriol smirked at her. "Maybe you're not really an angel," he started and she looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "Maybe you're really a devil in an angel's disguise."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows?"

He strode back to his room and she made a move to follow him when suddenly, he halted and turned around once more to face. She stepped back absently, warily watching his expression.

"You know," he began again and she cocked her head in confusion. "I never got your name while you know mine."

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself!" She smiled at him widely, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'm Tomoyo! I'm a Dominion!"


	2. That was way too long!

**Author's blabbering**: Chapter 2! Finally, I updated it. To be honest, I didn't want to update it yet, as I haven't finished **The Testament **yet. Now, as you have noticed, I deleted **TLC** as it wasn't getting any responses from the people. I'd just probably be updating it in my writing journal (see my homepage). The 19th chapter for **The Testament **(I'm sad to say…), I haven't even started it yet since I'm too swamped with school work, as well as the 7th chapter of **Mistaken Identity**. I'd also be posting a one-shot some time in the future, a sequel to **Magic At Its Finest**.This time, I'd be portraying Tomoyo's thoughts. Now that would be fun!

Anyway, that's it for now. If you'd like to see my responses to your reviews, just click on my homepage. It's there. Just look for it. Leave a comment or something, if you wish, but don't forget to review also!

Disclaimer: _Queenie points at the word. _If you don't know what that word means, I suggest you look for it in a dictionary. And because I'm still at awe with Angel Sanctuary, I decided to use the Angelic Hierarchy. Don't worry though, Tomoyo would explain all you need to know about it. Oh, yeah, and I don't own the Angelic Hierarchy either. **If you think this fic is going against your religion, your beliefs or your traditions, then please don't read it anymore. I surely don't want to be sued by anyone. I'm not doing this to propagate a new religion nor do I get any money from this.**

With that said, let's get on with the story!

**Chapter 2: "That was way too long!" **

Eriol leaned back on one of the posts of his bed, arms folded across his chest, surveying the so-called angel seated in the middle of his room. Well, she did look like an angel, with her white robes, wings and the ethereal air surrounding her. She definitely looked out of this world, with her midnight locks that seemed like flowing water and her lavender eyes, twinkling and almost iridescent. She'd definitely pass the typical standards of what an angel looks like.

_Yeah, if she'd only shut her mouth. _

He'd always imagined that angels, if ever they do exist, are good-natured creatures: kind, patient, caring and sensitive. They're not sarcastic blackmailers. Still though, Tomoyo—he had finally remembered her name, after a few minutes of brainstorming—did look like a kind, patient, caring and sensitive angel. Actually, she's everything he imagined. The only thing that ruins her image is her endless fount of sarcasm a.k.a. her mouth.

Much to his disdain, she suddenly looked up at him from her seat on the carpeted floor, her eyes narrowed. He quickly looked away. She had caught him gawking at her.

"If you wish to gawk at something or some_one_, I suggest you go to the zoo," she told him flatly, critically inspecting her wings again. "I'm sure the animals there wouldn't mind being stared at."

Eriol gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. She actually had the guts to retort at him like that, even though he had saved her from imminent danger awhile ago and she was currently seated on _his_ couch, in _his _room, in _his_ house. But, having been raised a gentleman by his uncle, he decided to pass up her remark without hostilities.

"Would you like some tea?" he offered, walking over to the bedside table to get the silver tray of tea and a tin can of Danish cookies. Why his cousin slash guardian had left tea and cookies in his room before bedtime was something of a mystery to him. Shouldn't she be leaving water instead?

The girl eyed him. "Tea in the middle of the night?" she asked lightly with a slight chuckle. "Isn't this weird?"

"Believe me, after everything that has happened tonight, _this_ isn't weird at all," he rebuked, setting the tray on the cherry wood coffee table and poured her a cup of tea. "Would you like honey with that?"

Tomoyo glanced at him then pasted a smile. "That would be nice, thank you." She had reverted once more to her polite, more angel-like self, he noticed, as he retrieved the small jar of honey back at the table.

"So… You're a Dominion," Eriol began and she nodded wordlessly, uncapping the jar of sweet syrup. "So if you're a Dominion, whatever that is, what are you doing here on Earth?"

Much to his surprise this time, the dark-haired angel was using the honey, not to sweeten her tea, but to use it as something like a dipping sauce for the cookies. It was as if the sweetness of the cookie was not enough to satisfy her taste buds.

"I'm here to check out the time," she replied nonchalantly, biting on the honey-covered portion of her butter cookie. "Touya told me there was a disturbance in the time here so I was sent by my department to check it out. You see, Dominions like me are in charge of regulating the functioning of the universe and the Earth."

Eriol blinked twice at her explanation then stared at her blankly, obviously lost. "Okay… Let's start from the beginning. What do you mean by 'your department sent you to check a time disturbance'?"

Tomoyo let out a sigh and smiled forcedly at him. "Imagine that Azreal, heaven in your terms, is one very big office," she started, taking another cookie and dipping it in honey. "Now, Azreal, as one big office, is divided into nine groups called Choirs, each of it is divided into different departments, depending on the responsibility of that group. And every department is headed by either a junior archangel or seraph. Like for example, the Dominions Choir has several departments, one of them is the Time Department where I belong. We're tasked to monitor the time here on Earth, to see if it flows normally or not."

He nodded slightly, understanding her explanation. "And that time disturbance thingy?"

Tomoyo paused, gazing at him meaningfully over the rim of her teacup. "Eriol, do you believe in reincarnations?" she asked him, using a grave tone, and he consequently choked on his tea, staring at her in disbelief. She rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. That stupid boy had just ruined her image of being serious! "What is your religious philosophy? First, you don't believe in angels. Now, you don't believe in past lives!"

"Well, I'd like to know what _yours_ is as well!" he started rather tartly, composing himself. "Firstly, from what I remember, the belief in reincarnation is from the Hindu religion, not Christianity. And secondly, it's not that I _don't_ believe in angels. You were just not the type I was expecting."

"Well, Mister I-know-everything, human beings were the ones who gave birth to the notion of different religions! Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism… They're all the same!" She rolled her eyes at him, rubbing her temples. She was already acquiring a headache. "And what angel were you expecting, someone kind and good-natured?"

"Obviously," he admitted, rolling his eyes in frustration. He still could not believe he was actually talking to an angel, more specifically, arguing with one. "You're an angel. Angels are supposed to be good and nice and sweet."

"We'll see if you can still say that after you've met Touya and Syaoran," she commented flatly, sipping her tea then pursing her lips. "Your educators sure have an optimistic view on angels. What do you think Azreal is, one big utopia?"

"Isn't it?" he countered and she glared at him darkly. "Well?"

She sighed heavily, tapping her chin. Humans, as many angels had told her, can be really dense and slow. "Everything's not always the way you imagined it," she told him, biting her honey-covered cookie again. "Azreal isn't some utopia created by a divine being. It's just like here, on Earth. We eat, sleep, play, go to work. Azreal isn't all singing praises and fighting evil and those sorts."

"You sure ruined my image of an angel," he replied thoughtfully.

Tomoyo waved an impatient hand in the air, a sign that that topic is already closed. Eriol assumed she got insulted by his words. "Enough," she said, clearing her throat. "Now, back to my explanation, everyone in this world was the reincarnation of a specific person from the past." He raised his eyebrow once again in disbelief. "Yes, you had a past life, Eriol. Stop doubting me!"

"Really?" he inquired testily. "And who was I in the past?"

"You're Eriol," she answered, her voice awfully too cheerful.

The young man gave her a flat look, an I-don't-really-buy-that-one look. "No, what was I?"

"You were a human being!" she replied yet again in her awfully-too-cheerful voice.

"I'm being serious here," Eriol told her dully. "Why don't you give me a serious answer?"

Tomoyo paused to think, biting her lower lip in deep thought. "I'm not sure who you were before," she said slowly, tapping her chin. "I don't think I had come upon your time. At least, I've never seen you before from any of the ages I've monitored. Physical appearances never change so whoever your past life was should have the same characteristics as you. Ah, whatever!"

She waved her hand again and continued. "Now, the Fate department makes sure that people who knew each other in the past would never meet again in the future as their reincarnations."

"Why not?"

"For starters, it would cause a lot of commotion," she told him. "Memories would be reopened and remembered which would then result to people's stupidity and curiosity of the past. They would then build time machines to travel back in the past, just to find out what had happened and that's a big no-no.

"Usually, the meeting of two reincarnated people has a reason behind it," she continued, pausing to drink her tea. She tapped her chin again with a slender finger. "Perhaps an incident in the past had not occurred because of, let's say, the sudden death of one of them. Even though this is the best way to solve this problem, the meeting of those two is still a disturbance in the time. It would cause a shift in the time, just to accommodate whatever incident they forgot to do, affecting the people and events. And so, it's our job to accommodate that incident and still keep the time and events flowing smoothly."

He refilled his cup of tea, pausing for a moment to drink. "And how come you fell from the skies?"

"That I don't know." She chewed her overly-sweet cookie thoughtfully, swallowing after a while. "I was flying over Tokyo when a strong gust of wind suddenly blew me off course and into your balcony. My wings must've protected me out of instinct when I fell and so here I am, alive and well but with damaged wings."

Eriol then refilled her cup, glancing at her pensive expression. "A coincidence probably?"

She shook her head, her contemplative expression replaced by a slight frown. "There's no such thing as coincidence," she said slowly. "Only the inevitable."

"There's a new line," he remarked dryly, earning a contemptuous look from the ebony-haired girl. He rolled his eyes. "So you think your falling in my balcony was planned by someone up there?"

Tomoyo shrugged. "That's the only explanation I could think of right now."

"Are you sure they're not just trying to find a way to kick you out of Paradise?" he joked, earning another sharp glare. Even though she had a smart-alecky mouth, she's still a girl and he couldn't help seeing one looking so desperate or extremely annoyed. "That was just a thought, you know. No need to lose you head over it."

Then, much to his astonishment, the young girl suddenly let out a sigh and held her head in her hands, gazing intently at her lap. "Yeah… That's possible," she mumbled, sounding depressed. "After all, that's what most of them said, that I'm more human than angel. Maybe that's why they sent me here, so they could find a way to keep me on Earth forever."

Eriol frowned at her. "You're probably the most pessimistic angel in this Azreal place," he commented, shaking his head. "Look, I was just kidding—"

"And I'm not," she replied flatly. "It's possible that they sent me here just so they could get rid of me."

"And why would they do that?"

She raised her gaze to him, fiddling with the golden border of her sleeve. After a moment of silence, she shook her head, forcing a smile, a smile he noticed that didn't reach her eyes. "Never mind, I was just being stupid," she said, reverting to her friendly voice again. He still looked unconvinced though. "So… can I stay here?"

Eriol gaped at her like she had grown another head. "Stay?" he echoed, sounding shocked, incredulous and suspicious all at once. Where did that come from all of a sudden? "Are you serious?"

Tomoyo shrugged her shoulders, looking impassive. "Of course," she answered cheerfully. "You seemed to be an all-around good guy. I'm sure you wouldn't leave a cute angel like me, walking around Tokyo, would you? I mean, it would cause a commotion, a catastrophe even!"

He stared at her blankly, searching her expression for signs of joking. When she merely smiled at him innocently, he sighed in defeat. Maybe it really was a bad idea to save her awhile ago. She seemed capable of handling falls from tall places. "And you'll stay until when?"

"Until my wings heal, of course," she replied casually. "I can't return to Azreal if my wings are ruined. I'm not able to fly without them."

The blue-eyed boy stared at her wings, taking in the damage. If it was compared to an injury, it's probably comparable to a broken limb. "And how long will it take for them to heal?" he asked dully, forcing himself not to think that he had just adopted an orphan.

"It's not that long really," she said, glancing at her wings. "Probably a month or two."

He let out another sigh. This was slowly getting out of his hands without him knowing it. But then, maybe he could handle here even for just a month or two. "Well, fine. You can stay." Her smile widened gratefully at him. "But only for a month or two!"

Tomoyo nodded brightly. "Thanks a lot! You're an angel!" she cried happily, dipping her teaspoon into the small jar of honey and scooping out a rather large dollop of the sweetener. She then swallowed it without even flinching from the excessively sweetness of the syrup before taking another spoonful.

It took Eriol a full minute to grasp what she had just done and was still doing. "What are you doing? You'd get diabetes if you keep on eating that!"

She rolled her lilac eyes at him, the spoon still inside her mouth. After a moment, she pulled it out and frowned at him. "There's no such thing as diabetes in Azreal," she told him, plunking the spoon inside the jar. "And besides, manna is part of our daily diet. And since there's no manna here, I'd just stick to the basics: white bread and honey."

The boy waved a hand at her dismissively. "Fine, fine," he shot back flatly. "Eat whatever you want. Just don't get sick or anything. I don't want to be responsible to God because you got sick."

"You don't have to be responsible for everything I do," she retorted irately, nearly cracking the teacup in her small hands. "I can take care of myself!"

"Sure, whatever!" He waved again his hand then went back to his bed, not even bothering to stifle his yawn. "Just go to bed. I still have classes tomorrow morning and I really don't want to be late."

"Go to bed? Where am I supposed to sleep?" she argued, placing her hands on her waist.

"Sleep anywhere. You can even sleep in the bathtub if you want to."

As he slid under his comforters, Eriol wondered if this was all just a stupid dream after watching too many late-night movies with Nakuru. He'd probably wake up the next day with no trace of any angel inside his room, just Nakuru shouting at him loudly for not waking up early again.

But just as slumber had caught up with him, cold air suddenly blew over him, freezing every inch of exposed skin. He shot up from his bed, only to find Tomoyo clutching his comforter and several pillows, marching towards the sofa and neatly arranging the fluffy pillows on the velvet. He scowled at her.

"You could've at least asked me if you wanted the comforter!"

"Well, that's too bad! I thought you were already asleep." She stuck out a tongue at him then smiled sweetly. He merely glared at her in annoyance. "Sleep with the angels tonight, Eriol."

* * *

Review, review, review! I'd love you if you review (and free virtual Pocky for everyone!). Reviews will be accepted, constructive criticisms appreciated and flames used for roasting marshmallows. 

Also, continue checking out my profile page as I MIGHT be posting another story (this time, an SxS with strong hints of ExT) some time in the future.


	3. Who're you calling a devil?

Author's blabbering: Yay, chapter 3! After months and months of not working on it, I finally finished it, thanks to my friend who gave me a copy of Angel Sanctuary (You guys should read it! I recommend it!). Yay me! I totally apologize for the lateness of this fic. There isn't much action yet. I'd probably put them in the next chapter or chapter 5. As for my other fics, don't worry. They're NOT on hiatus. They're just not yet up to my liking yet and I'm still constantly editing them.

And if you had notice, I edited some parts in the chapters 1 and 2. I finally included the Angelic Hierarchy (because I found it so interesting in Angel Sanctuary). It might be confusing at first but everything will be explained anyway.

I'll also be putting up the one-shot I made as a gift-fic for my friend, Akizuki Sai. Yeah, and it was such an über-late gift… All reviews will be answered in the homepage as usual.

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS and all its lovely characters. Nor the Angelic Hierarchy. **If you think, feel or sense that this fic is going against your religion, your beliefs or your traditions, then please don't read it anymore. I surely don't want to be sued by anyone. I'm not doing this to propagate a new religion nor do I get any money from this. **

Yay! Let's get on with the story!

**Chapter 3: "Who're you calling a devil?" **

"Eriol!"

Eriol turned to the sweet, cheerful voice that belonged to one dark-haired angel. She stood in front of him, undamaged wings, white robes and all, her eyes crinkled in genuine delight and elation. He raised a slim eyebrow at her in skepticism. He had learned one thing already: never trust an angel with that kind of smile.

"What is it?" he asked, eyeing her warily. He really didn't trust her. Not one bit.

"You know what," she said slowly, biting her lower lip in thought. The smile on her face was impeccable. It was perfect. Too perfect. "There's something I forgot to tell you last night…"

"And that was?"

Tomoyo smiled even more brightly at him, an unreadable glint in her lavender orbs. "I'm here to take your soul!"

And with that, her immaculate white wings disappeared and turned into black bat ones. The golden halo above her dark head also disappeared, replaced by two tiny horns, and her clothes changed into a sleek red cat suit. A throne of evil appeared on her side and she sat down on it, crossing her legs at her knees. "Am I not the cutest little devil around?"

To say she was cute was completely an understatement but Eriol really didn't have the time to contemplate if the angel-turned-devil in front of him was cute or not. She's after his soul, for crying out loud!

"I knew it!" he told her, pointing a finger at her direction. "You're no angel! You're just a devil in disguise!"

The dark-haired girl let out an exasperated sigh, checking her perfectly manicured nails. "I think we've already made that one clear," she replied lightly. "That's what I really like about you. You love stating the obvious." Her malevolent smile returned and she jumped off her seat, taking a step towards him, a pale hand outstretched. "C'mon, Eriol-_kun_, come to me."

"Why should I? You're just going to take my soul and I surely don't want to die yet!"

"Don't be silly! Just because I'm going to take your soul doesn't mean you're going to die." Another malevolent smile from the supposed angel. She took another step and Eriol stepped back apprehensively. "Don't be so stubborn, Eriol."

He turned away from her, his eyes shut tightly, holding out his fingers in a cross-sign to her. "Just go away, you devil!"

"Eriol…"

"I said, go away!"

He had barely said those words when a sharp slap stung his cheeks and his blue eyes flew wide open, meeting a pair of cinnamon-colored ones. Just as sudden as that slap, he sat up so quickly that his head collided with something hard, round and resembles a head perfectly.

"Ow! Your head is as hard as cement, Eriol!"

Eriol shook his head, ignoring the pain and the dark stars in front of his eyes, and turned to the tall figure standing beside his bed, rubbing its forehead. He frowned slightly, trying to adjust his sight to the sudden bright light. "Nakuru? Is that you?"

His auburn-haired cousin glared at him, one hand flat on her forehead. "No, I'm the child of the devil," she retorted sarcastically. "I'm here to take your soul, don't you remember?"

The young man scowled at her, throwing the blue blanket off him. "Shut up," he hissed, rubbing his throbbing head. That was a fun way to wake up, getting a headache. "And what are you doing here at this time of the morning?"

"Well, for your information, _Your Majesty_, I'm just here to wake you up. In case you haven't noticed, it's already 7," Nakuru replied patronizingly, walking over to the couch and picking up his satin comforter there. She then turned to him, a frown on her face. "What's your comforter doing here? Have you been sleepwalking again?"

"We both know that I do not sleep—" Eriol suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, the memories of the events of last night flashing in his mind. He raised his blue eyes to the sitting area in his room, searching for any trace of that ethereal, not to mention bossy, girl from last night. "Nakuru, where's Tomoyo?"

The older woman turned to him again, an auburn eyebrow cocked. "Where's _who_?"

"Tomoyo. The girl inside this room. The one who's been sleeping on the couch. Long black hair, lavender eyes."

His cousin rounded on him, her cinnamon-colored eyes narrowed into slits. "What's a girl doing in your room last night?" she asked him in a dangerous voice. "Don't tell me you've been doing _that_ thing already?"

Eriol rolled his eyes in exasperation. Nakuru's imagination sure amuses the hell out of him, especially during mornings. "She fell into my balcony last night."

Nakuru snorted at him. "Don't pull my leg. You're on the second floor. How would anyone fall into your balcony?"

"Ask her! She'll tell you!"

Nakuru stared at him for a few minutes then returned to his side purposefully, taking seat on the bed. Much to the young man's irritation, she suddenly placed a hand on his forehead and on hers. "Are you feeling well, Eriol?" she called out to him loudly as if she was talking to a deaf person. "Does something hurt? Do you want to see a doctor? Can-you-understand-me-Eriol?"

Eriol slapped away her hand, the scowl on his face deepening. "Shut up, Nakuru. You're not helping at all."

The girl chuckled lightly before she stood up from the bed and walked towards the door. "I know it's fun to dream about your crush at school but I really suggest you start moving now before you get late for school," she told him nonchalantly, pulling open the oak door. "We don't want a girl to be the reason for the taint in your perfect attendance, do we?" She ducked behind the door to avoid a flying pillow. "I'll see you downstairs!"

When Nakuru's footsteps had finally faded, the blue-eyed boy swung his legs over the bed and walked over to his bathroom, the marble floor cool under his bare feet. Had he just dreamt it all last night? The meeting with that angel, saving her, speaking to her, having tea with her? But everything seemed so real, everything felt so real.

Then, out of instinct, he glanced outside his bathroom at the sitting area. The tray was still there, with its used teacups, the tin can of Danish cookies and even the jar of honey. They were all there, along with his comforter—the one she had unceremoniously took—neatly folded by Nakuru. So it wasn't a dream. It was real, his encounter with Tomoyo.

Then, if what had happened last night wasn't a dream, where was she now? Did she manage to get help from Azreal? Had she gone back already?

_Isn't that great? She didn't even say goodbye, _he thought absently as he stuck his toothbrush inside his mouth, staring at his foggy mirror. _Still, at least I haven't got a sarcastic charge anymore._

With an inward sigh, he wiped away the moisture on the mirror only to find the subject of his thoughts standing right behind him with a very bright smile. Eriol choked on his toothbrush and turned around, his eyes flashing at the guest inside his bathroom.

"I could've been naked, you know," he told her flatly, pulling his toothbrush out of his mouth.

Tomoyo grinned at him mischievously, taking seat on the edge of the bathtub. "You could've but you're not. And besides, it's not like I haven't seen the entire male anatomy before," she replied breezily, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm sure yours is no different from the others."

Eriol stared at her flatly, not knowing what to say anymore, then went back to brushing his teeth. After a few minutes though, he was already getting uncomfortable with her staring at him. "Where have you been anyway?" he asked after rinsing his mouth with water. "I didn't see you when I woke up."

"Oh, I was there," she told him, twisting the one of the valves of the bathtub, and watched the tub slowly get filled with water. "You just weren't looking hard enough."

"You mean you could vanish into thin air?" he asked in disbelief. "And will you stop playing with my bathtub? I'm not going to take a bath!"

The angel looked at him, a mildly amused smile on her features. "You're not?"

The boy pressed his lips together, gritting his teeth. Shutting his eyes for a moment, he then pointed the door in exasperation, motioning her to get out. Could his day get any worse? "Can you please step out of my bathroom for a moment?" he asked, his polite voice oozing with sarcasm. When Tomoyo got up from her seat and walked over to the door, Eriol let out a sigh and stepped inside the shower stall.

After a moment though…

"Erm, Eriol, I can't…"

"What do you mean 'you can't'?" he asked from behind the glass, sounding every bit annoyed. "You can't what? You can't do that simple thing I'm asking you?"

"Hiiragizawa Eriol, who are you talking to inside your shower?"

Eriol froze at the familiar voice of his cousin, his blood turning cold. If Nakuru was inside his bathroom, then she would see Tomoyo. That alone would be enough for all hell to break loose. What more if she finds out that the girl was an angel? What would she do?

Opening the glass door of the shower stall, Eriol peered outside, his hair dripping wet, ready to explain everything. But what surprised him was Nakuru. It was as if she couldn't see Tomoyo, who was seated on the marble floor, staring up at her. Eriol glanced from Nakuru to Tomoyo then back to Nakuru, a frown on his face.

"What is wrong with you, Eriol?" Nakuru asked, her expression turning stern. "Is there something wrong with the floor?"

The young man raised his blue eyes from the bewildered angel on the floor to meet Nakuru's inquiring gaze. "Ah, well, it's nothing."

"Who were you talking to inside your shower?" the older girl asked again, placing a hand on her hip. "Is there a girl inside that stall, Eriol?"

Eriol shook his head firmly. "Of course not! Why would there be a girl inside my shower?" he retorted.

"Then _who _are you talking to?"

Eriol glanced once more at Tomoyo who wore a slight grin and racked his brain for an excuse, _any_ excuse, just to get off the hook. "I-I was practicing—" he stammered, frowning at Tomoyo. "—for a play at school. I'm in the cast and I need to memorize everything by—by next week!"

The cinnamon-eyed girl stared at him intently, still suspicious of his actions. "All right," she replied hesitantly then glanced at the floor, right where Tomoyo was seated. "Just… hurry up, okay? I've got this weird feeling that I'm being watched right now."

"Maybe you are being watched by some weird entity in this bathroom," Eriol told her while ignoring the angel's strangle protest on his comment, feeling his every nerve bursting to anger. There were now two, TWO, women in his bathroom, waiting for him like there's no tomorrow. "Now will you get out of my bathroom, Nakuru, and let me shower in peace?"

The older girl left, still looking confused as ever, and Eriol let out a relieved sigh. Tomoyo's gaze followed the retreating back of Nakuru then turned back to Eriol, taking a seat lightly on top of the counter. "Aren't you quite rude when it comes to her?"

"She's annoying as hell," Eriol said dismissively, rolling his eyes. "Aren't you leaving my bathroom as well?"

Tomoyo raised her hands in the air, jumping off from the counter and walking towards the door. "All right, I'm going. No need to raise your voice," she told him with a sigh. "Geez, you're not exactly a morning person, are you?"

"Please!"

"I keep forgetting that you still go to school."

Eriol glanced at her reflection on the mirror at the sound of her voice while fixing his stubborn tie, watching her devour his cookies and his honey like there was no tomorrow. She didn't really look like some angel with a bad temper and a sharp tongue, more like those that can be seen in paintings. But then again, looks can be deceiving, something he had learned last night.

He let out a sigh, turning once more to his own reflection. He didn't know how in the world he could manage taking care of an angel for a couple of months. Even though Nakuru could see, hear or feel her at all, which puzzled him actually, it still wouldn't be that easy. Well, for one thing, it would be hard to explain if someone suddenly saw and thought that he was talking to himself loudly.

The signs of growing insane, as Nakuru would put it simply. And it's not like they'd believe him about angels coming down to Earth and checking out time disturbances. Even he couldn't imagine himself using those words in just one crazy-sounding sentence.

And to add, the girl seemed to eat only cookies and honey and tea. What would he say if Nakuru asked about the disappearing cookies?

_This is hopeless, _he thought inwardly, tugging his tie hard. _I probably wouldn't get out of this month alive._

"What is hopeless, Eriol?"

He nearly jumped up seven feet in air at the sight of Tomoyo standing in front of him and the mirror, wearing a curious expression on her face. How did she get there without him noticing it? And how did she know what he was thinking?

He stared at her. "Can you read people's minds?"

"No," she replied, tugging his messed-up tie and looking at it closely. "But I can hear thoughts."

"Isn't that the same?"

Tomoyo sighed and started fixing his tie into a neat knot, her eyes looking intently at her work. "They're not the same, Eriol," she told him in a patient voice, earning an amused look from the young man. "We could only hear thoughts which are so loud. Just like yours. You think so loud I thought my eardrums were going to burst." She smiled at the neat tie she made and patted his chest hard. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Maybe for you…" He glanced down his necktie and was rather impressed at her handiwork. Not even Nakuru could've tied it so tidy and precise like that. "But thanks anyways."

Tomoyo smiled back at him impeccably, her eyes twinkling. "In exchange for fixing your tie, can I ask you for a favor?"

Eriol looked at her warily from the corner of his blue eyes as he pulled his pale blue blazer over his shoulders. "A favor? What kind of a favor?" He just hoped he wasn't getting into another hole like the last time. "The dangerous kind?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't ask you to do something dangerous." Her smile widened as she took a step forward and stood on her toes, until their faces were only inches away. "But I'd like you to take me to your school."

Eriol stepped back from her, consciously aware of the proximity of their faces, fighting the urge to color. "To my school? But why?"

"Because it's going to get boring here when you leave," she reasoned out, pouting cutely. "There isn't anything to do here. And besides, what if your cousin finally sees me? What will you tell her?"

"Well…"

She did have a point, Eriol mused, but wasn't she asking too much? Taking her to school would mean he'd have to look out for her closer than ever. And what if there was also someone else who could see her? Wouldn't that be a bigger problem for him? But of course, it still puzzled him as to why Nakuru couldn't see her and yet he could.

"I have a question," he started and the girl nodded receptively. "Why is it that I can see you and my cousin can't?"

Tomoyo shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I don't know myself," she replied casually, clasping her hands behind her back. "Actually, you shouldn't be able to see me as well. Humans shouldn't be able to see angels."

"So then why…"

"I don't know why but I promise I'll ask someone in Azreal when I get back," she said dismissively then pasted once more her bright smile. "So, are you going to bring me or not?"

Eriol waved a hand in the air with a defeated sigh. "Fine, you can come with me," he told her flatly. "But only if you change your clothes into something more normal." As a safety precaution, just in case someone sees her with him.

"Really?" she exclaimed loudly then hugged him tightly, her arms around his neck. "Thank you! I'm so glad!"

Eriol scratched his cheek awkwardly, not knowing what to do if an angel suddenly hugs you so unceremoniously. Apparently, she didn't seem to be aware of his self-consciousness. He'd never been this intimate with a girl before, even though most of the girls at Seijou High chase him like hell.

"Yeah, well, although you're annoying and all, it's probably ruder to keep you here caged inside my room."

Tomoyo let out a light laugh, which sounded like tiny tinkling bells, still unaware of his uneasiness and anxiety. "I knew you'd see it my way," she said with another laugh before finally getting a glimpse of his pale face. She tilted her head to one side in curiosity. "Hey, are you all right?"

"I don't—"

Before Eriol could finish his statement, his door suddenly opened without any warning and Nakuru entered once more, scowling at the young man darkly. Eriol absently brushed Tomoyo away, taking a step from her.

The older girl placed her hands on her hips and towered over her cousin. "Why are you standing there like an idiot, Eriol?" she demanded hotly. "You are already going to be late if you don't get your butt moving!"

Then, without even waiting for a remark or reaction from her cousin, Nakuru turned heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Eriol winced at the noise, shaking his head in exasperation. Tomoyo grinned knowingly.

"Are you sure she's not your mother, Eriol?"

---

Reviews and constructive criticisms appreciated. Flames, you can just bring them with you when you go to hell -.-


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